You Can Be the Difference
Last Friday night, I went to an event called “Stand Up” hosted by the Youth Alliance for Leadership and Development in Africa (YALDA) at Harvard University. At the event, over fifty students from around the Boston area listened to the words of student leaders, stood up, and pledged to take action against poverty.
Addressing Poverty
Poverty. It’s not a nice thing to dwell on. We hear the word and we conjure up images of malnourished children in Africa, staring at us with their big haunting eyes and distended bellies. For some of us, we recall annoying homeless people who manage to make us feel guilty every time we pass them without putting a quarter into their coffee cups.
Corrections
The Friday, Oct. 10 article “Senior Gets A Second Shot at <i>Jeopardy!</i>” incorrectly reported the age of Anjali Tripathi ’09 in 1999. She was eleven — not nine — when she first appeared on <i>Jeopardy!</i>.
Oprah’s Educational Adventure
“Promote gender equality and empower women” reads the third Millennium Development Goal, put forth by the United Nations Development Programme, to be achieved by 2015. This is an ambitious plan: more than 115 million children worldwide do not attend primary school, of which the majority are girls. Only 43 percent of all girls are enrolled in secondary school and attend classes regularly.
Pharma in Africa
Africa desperately needs drugs to combat AIDS, pneumonia, influenza, meningitis, and other infectious diseases. Not only do they need drugs, they need cheap drugs.
The Challenge of International Development
Ending poverty is the challenge of our generation. Our country is no stranger to challenge.
Injustice, Poverty, and a Sustainability Ethos
While problem sets and exams pile up mid-semester, most of us are shuttling between class and computer, losing sight of the bigger picture while trying to put out academic fires in our own lives. This week, however, MIT’s Global Poverty Initiative invites us to take a step back and remember those less fortunate than ourselves.
The Need for a Nuanced Russia Policy
“A wolf with a limited point of view” — this is how Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (then president) referred to the United States days after Condoleezza Rice spoke on US-Russian cooperation at Boston College in May 2006.
State of the RaceWith 19 Days Left, Where Do We Stand?
It was only a month ago that Democrats had a serious fear of losing the 2008 presidential election. The nomination of Sarah Palin was thought to be the beginning of the end of the Obama juggernaut. This was the first time that McCain had held a lead nationally since May — far before Obama had wrapped up the nomination.
Post-Debate Impressions
Barack Obama and John McCain faced off in their last presidential debate this Wednesday, and by many measures, it was the most interesting of the three rumbles. The senators tackled the economy, healthcare, energy, and for the first time, abortion, education and the nomination of justices for the Supreme Court.
The ‘Joe the Plumber’ Debate
It’s 3 a.m., and my roommate is quiet and asleep. But there’s a phone on my desk, and it’s ringing.
Corrections
Because of a production error, the Oct. 14, 2008 story “Gender Ratios Vary Widely Across MIT Courses” incorrectly described the coloring of a chart showing graduate student gender ratios by major as “mostly magenta.” In fact it is mostly cyan, indicating that the composition of many graduate programs is more heavily male. Also because of a production error, the article incorrectly stated that the chart for undergraduates “has slightly more cyan than magenta” because women are the majority in more departments; in fact, that chart has more magenta than cyan for that reason.
Is Cheap and Convenient Food Possible at MIT?
This past Monday, I munched on a chocolate glazed donut and sipped on iced tea (lemon and sugar) from Dunkin’ Donuts. I had a $5 foot-long Spicy Italian sub from Subway after my 5.111 lecture. And after pistol practice, I grabbed a cheeseburger from the Cambridge Grill.
The Next President’s Realistic Energy Policy
Representatives from both presidential campaigns met on campus last Monday and were asked how their candidates would define success in the energy sector at the end of two terms as president. In spite of the night’s rhetoric about oil-free, renewable energy ambitions, their responses were surprisingly subdued.
Corrections
The Tuesday, Oct. 7 article “McCain, Obama Policy Advisors Debate Future of U.S. Energy” incorrectly quoted a Barack Obama surrogate as saying that Obama’s energy plan called for the removal of all energy subsidies. He supports the revocation of existing subsidies for oil companies — not for all companies.
Can’t I Get Some Breakfast Around Here?
It is the duty of every institution to take measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of its students. While MIT does make significant efforts to encourage healthy living, it has yet to find a substantial solution to the issue of campus dining.
The Perfect Energy Policy
On Monday night, Kresge Auditorium was filled with good-natured banter, verbal pats on the back, smiles, and even a hug. It was hardly the atmosphere I’d expected from two senior advisors to the presidential campaigns (R. James Woolsey on behalf of Senator McCain and Jason Grumet for Senator Obama) debating energy policy in front of a collegiate audience. Instead of outlining realistic policies and challenging the opposing viewpoint, both speakers steered the debate along a bland, albeit cheerful, tack.
A Matter of Choice
MIT stands among very few institutions in the nation regarding how it prepares its students for their future. A solid, practical education ensures that we can adapt and take care of ourselves after we graduate from college. Personally, I assume that such preparation includes the skills necessary for daily sustenance.
The Great Debate
News coverage leading up to Thursday’s Vice Presidential debate had us all believing Alaska Governor Sarah Palin lacked the skills and knowledge necessary to run for national office.
Corrections
In last Friday’s issue, the article “Grad Rat Redesigned for First Time Since 2003” incorrectly described some features of the new graduate student ring. The bezel of the new ring does not contain a slice of pizza or a crane. Those features did exist on the old ring, though are not present in the new design.